No Reason To Let Go
by othbaby08
Summary: Lucas and Nathan have their eyes on the same girl. Brooke Davis. Brooke and Peyton invite them and Jake, who is dating Peyton, down to South Carolina for a few weeks. Secrets and history begin to get in the way of vacation fun.
1. Reminiscing

**Title:** No Reason To Let Go

**Extended Summary:** Lucas and Brooke have a huge history, and are no longer together. SHe and Peyton live in a beach house in South Carolina, and invite the three leading men in their lives down for a couple of weeks. Peyton is dating Jake, and has been for awhile now. Sparks begin to fly between Lucas and Brooke again, but also between Brooke and Nathan. Secrets are revealed as Brooke is put into a difficult position.

**Author's Note:** Here's my newest story! I know I said I was going to start _Daddy Come Home_, which I did write a chapter for, but this idea came to me and I just had to write it. Its going to be so cool! I am very, very excited about it. Please leave reviews and comments letting me know what you think. Any and all suggestions are accepted! I don't know if this will be Brooke/Lucas or Brooke/Nathan. Honestly, I have no idea. Tell me what you want!

_Disclaimer: I own none of these characters, they belong to The WB and Mark S._

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Chapter One

"Reminiscing"

Brooke browsed through the bikini rack at the local surf shop, looking for nothing in particular. She had other things on her mind. Like the fact that her ex boyfriend was coming to stay with her for the summer. Well, maybe that was being a little dramatic. He would be there for about a month. But still, that's a lot of "ex" to deal with.

The ex in question was the one and only Lucas Scott. He is quite the heartbreaker, as Brooke has been a victim of this more than once. Most recently, he broke her heart for another girl. Wow, what a surprise. It was six months ago, in December, when the news came. You see, Brooke and Lucas had broken things off for college, but when they were 23, they got back together. The following spring both of them graduated, Brooke with a nursing degree, and Lucas with a business major.

Brooke's major drew confusion from those close to her, because they all thought she would want a degree in fashion or shoes or something. She proved them all wrong, and is in fact a very good nurse. Her first choice was of course fashion, but she came to her senses and realized she may not always be successful with that. One day, while volunteering with Peyton at a hospital, it hit her with what she wanted to do with her life. From then on, it was nursing. Lucas went with a simple, yet satisfying major. He played college basketball for four years, and this would be the first year he wouldn't play on a team. It made him sad, but he didn't think much of it. His personal life demanded much more attention.

They both lived in New York, with Brooke in the city and Lucas right outside of it. They were close enough to visit, yet far enough to not run into each other. The stress of graduating got to them, and all their arguments eventually led to their decision to have an open relationship. Both of them found others to occupy their time. Lucas met a girl named Carly, and they saw each other for a few months in the summer. Brooke dated here and there, never really settling with one guy. She was 24, fresh out of college, and was looking for 'the one'. With Brooke, that is _never_ a simple task. She knew what she wanted in a man, and if she found something wrong with one she simply moved on.

Brooke and Lucas stayed split for the summer, but reunited when they returned to Tree Hill for a visit in late October. Brooke was busy looking for a job, but while in New York City, she couldn't find a hospital she wanted to work at, or one with anything available. She worked at one, but was extremely unhappy there. In the meantime she and Lucas enjoyed each other's company. They quickly became close again, and it was the first week of December when Brooke found the perfect job for herself. The problem was, it was in Charleston, South Carolina. Which was fine with her. She didn't enjoy the city as much as she originally thought she would. It was perfect for the flirty, free spirited girl she had once been. But it was also dirty, and too busy. She would always love to go back and visit, but the job in Charleston provided the perfect situation for her.

Peyton lived in Charleston. She had gone to college there, and absolutely fell in love with the city. It sat flawlessly on the Atlantic Ocean, and she had received an art major the same time Brooke had graduated. She spent the summer in Tree Hill with her boyfriend, Jake. Jake still lived where the old friends grew up, for the simple concept of convenience. He had gotten a two year degree at Tree Hill Community College, and lived in a small but nice apartment with Jenny. He didn't have much money, and she was about to enter kindergarten. He needed his parents nearby, which is one reason he lived there. Also, he secretly hoped Peyton would come back to live with him. He missed her like crazy, but knew there was no way he could relocate to Charleston.

Which she did live with him, for a few months. While she was there, she realized just how much she missed Charleston. Around October, she decided to move back. She got a teaching job there, teaching classes at the college in town. It suited her fine, because it not only gave her a steady income, but it provided her time to draw by herself. She leased a small studio apartment downtown, and mostly kept to herself. As much as she missed Jake and Jenny, she also loved living there. It brought back wonderful college memories, and the whole town was fresh and new.

That December, Brooke went to visit Peyton. She had scheduled an interview with the hospital, and surprised her friend. She was appalled at the size of Peyton's residence, and let her best friend know. Peyton simply shrugged, because though she too didn't care much for her pad, it provided her with what she needed. Brooke then told Peyton of the job offer, and how much more money she would make because there was such a desperate need of nurses. Peyton excitedly urged her to take it, but Brooke hesitated because of Lucas. She loved him, and didn't want to be without him. She returned to New York the next day, the decision weighing on her mind.

That same day, she noticed Lucas was acting funny and called him on it. He told her Carly had visited, and she was three months pregnant with his child. Brooke lashed out at him, but he defended himself by saying they weren't together when he created the child with Carly. Doing the right thing, he broke things off with Brooke to be with Carly. For him, it was the only thing to do. This completely tore Brooke apart, and she immediately called South Carolina and accepted the nursing position at the county hospital. She moved the following week. She needed to get her mind off Lucas, and how hurt she was. Though she knew he was deeply sorry, and if he could change things, he would, she couldn't stay in New York. A job, a great job, was waiting for her, and she would be closer to home.

When she first arrived, she stayed with Peyton. That was hell for both of them. Brooke had way too much stuff, though she placed most of it in storage. She had the idea to get a house together, but Peyton doubted their financial ability. Brooke insisted they could make due. As an art professor, Peyton wasn't short on money. Neither was Brooke. Nursing was an extremely difficult profession, and because of the dyer need of them, the starting wages were unbelievable. Brooke and Peyton looked for a house on the beach, because that was the only place they wanted to live. They grew up around the beach, and each wanted to continue the tradition. Of course, the cost of beach houses were atrocious, and they broken heartedly stopped their search. One day, the agent they had been using contacted them, and informed them of an old, broken down beach house. It was rundown, and would need a little work, but it was affordable. When told the down payment, they realized they just couldn't make it.

For the next week or so, they continued living in the studio apartment. Each day got harder than the last. Brooke and Peyton returned to Tree Hill for Christmas, with Brooke narrowly avoiding Lucas and instead finding comfort and friendship in Nathan, Jake, and Peyton. Brooke explained to her parents about how she and Peyton were living, and her father was absolutely dismayed. He insisted that no daughter of his would live like that, and implied that he himself would make the down payment, if Brooke and Peyton could handle the monthly payments. Ecstatically, they both agreed whole heartedly to the deal, and by January the beach house was theirs.

The house itself was large. It had three bedrooms upstairs. Though relatively small, the rooms were perfect. Because Brooke's father had made the down payment, the two girls agreed that Brooke should have the master bedroom. Downstairs consisted of a large living area, kitchen, and dining room. It was equipped with two bathrooms, and had a deck large enough for a jacuzzi, which together they bought in April. It wasn't as massive as what Brooke was used to, but she loved it. She loved decorating, and she knew she would have a blast with this house. Of course, the house needed it. As the agent mentioned, it was old and rundown. It needed a new roof, and the carpets were all stained. The windows needed a desperate washing, and the plumbing needed to be updated.

During the next six months, she and Peyton, when not working, put all their effort into the beach house. The payments were easy, since there were two of them, so they had plenty of money to spend on the house.

By the time summer came around, renovations were done and they were just enjoying life. Brooke had been dating on and off, but her heart was still mending from the Lucas drama. She hadn't heard a word about him from anyone, which struck her as odd. But she didn't think about him too much.

Peyton invited Nathan, Lucas, and Jake down for a few weeks. They were coming for a month. This agitated Brooke a little, but she didn't worry about it much. When she had last talked to Lucas, they had been on good terms. No matter how much it upset her, he had done the right thing, and she understood. But it still made her sad. The thought of Nathan coming perked her up a bit.

Nathan Scott had been a busy man. He played college basketball for years, and had then gone pro. He now played for the Charlotte Bobcats, and was frequently in touch with both Brooke and Peyton. When Peyton had invited him, he was excited because he was on vacation from basketball, and this would give him a chance to get back in touch with his high school friends. Though he of course stayed in good contact with his brother, over the years, his friendships with the other three had faded.

Brooke glanced at her watch, and saw she only had a few minutes before she had agreed to meet Peyton at the grocery store. Bikini shopping would have to wait.

Peyton was impatiently waiting outside Walmart when Brooke came running up. "I'm so sorry, I was shopping and just lost track of time."

Peyton gave her a knowing smile. "Uh huh, I've heard it all before. Whatever, you are here now. We have stuff to do."

Jake was arriving the following morning, and Lucas and Nathan were driving in together the same afternoon. Brooke would be working, but Peyton had agreed to meet them. Jake was flying in, without Jenny. Years ago a huge custody fight had erupted between him and Nikki, Jenny's biological mother. The court had decided to let Jake have full custody of Jenny, with one exception. Nikki would get her for four weeks in the summer, and the weeks were fully up to her. Just to piss Jake off, she wanted them consecutively, for the entire month of July. In a way, it worked out for Jake, because now he could spend a month with Peyton.

As they walked through the aisles picking up stuff for lunch, Peyton took the liberty of teasing Brooke. "So, are you gonna start something with the Scott boys?"

Brooke glared at her best friend. "_No_. I'm done with Lucas. And Nathan... well, who knows," she said breezily.

Peyton gasped. "What?" She hissed quietly. "You want to hook up with Nathan!"

Brooke shook her head. "No, I was kidding. Joke, get it? I don't want to hook up with either of them. Nathan is a big basketball guy, he has a million other girls to occupy his time. And Lucas, well, we know his story. I still don't see why you invited him in the first place." When Brooke had first learned that Lucas was coming, she got pretty upset. It had taken months to finally get over him, and now he was coming back to reopen all wounds.

Peyton rolled her eyes. "Do we have to get into this again? I couldn't invite Nathan without Lucas. It wouldn't be right. We have been over this a billion times already. You said it yourself, you and Lucas were on decent terms, right?"

Brooke shifted uncomfortably. "Yeah, but that doesn't mean this whole thing won't be awkward."

"So let it be awkward. He _did_ leave you for another woman." Peyton knew the whole story, but she refused to take sides. "There will be plenty of people hanging around the house, so I don't think you have anything to worry about. Avoid him if you have to."

"Trust me, I will be," Brooke muttered. Peyton didn't hear her though, and Brooke decided to drop it. She would make the best of this vacation, no matter how hard it got.

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_Please review! I know this chapter was mainly background info, but there is SO much more to come!_


	2. Reuniting

**_Disclaimer:_ _I don't own One Tree Hill, or any of the characters._**

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Chapter Two

"Reuniting"

The following morning, Peyton and Jake were hanging out at the beach house. Lucas and Nathan would be arriving within the hour, which gave her and her boyfriend time to spend alone. Which they had been.

They were sitting on the deck, with Peyton in her bikini, trying to catch some sun. Jake was sitting next to her, lazily running his finger over her bare stomach. He had truly missed her, even though he had seen her a month ago. But a month was too long.

Peyton smiled at him. "Do you think this month will be weird?"

He chuckled. "I think that is the understatement of the year. Brooke and Lucas may say they are on good terms, but tension will still be there. Plus, with Nathan here, its going to be crazy."

She nodded. "You know what I think? I think you and I should take a vacation. I mean, I realize _this_ is a vacation, but I mean just me and you, for a couple of days."

He leaned in close, kissing her gently. "I think that sounds perfect."

Peyton was about to suggest where they could go when they heard footsteps coming from the house. She sat up, and grinned when she saw Lucas and Nathan coming out the door. "Hey!" She squealed. She stood up, and allowed Nathan to wrap her in a hug, and then let Lucas do the same. She hadn't seen either of them since Christmas, and even then she barely saw them. She missed them throughout the year.

Lucas smiled at her. "Hey, Peyton. How's it going?" He and his brother then said their hellos to Jake as well.

Peyton was smiling excitedly. "I am so excited about this summer. Its going to kick ass!"

Nathan nodded behind him. "I like the house. Brooke had sent me some pictures from before, so I was of course expecting a dump. But this really looks good."

"It was all Brooke. She only works three days a week because she sucks like that, so she spent the last six months or so redoing everything. You haven't seen anything yet." Peyton had decided to allow Brokoe to take over the remodeling of their beach house, mainly because Peyton could care less about it. As long as her room was to her own liking, Brooke could do whatever she wanted and Peyton wouldn't care.

Jake wrapped an arm around Peyton. He was taking every bit of advantage of this vacation that he could. "So, did you guys have a good drive?"

As they all made small talk, Lucas couldn't help but notice something was missing. "Uh, where's Brooke?" He caught his brother's look, but ignored him. It wasn't a crime to ask. He hadn't seen her in over six months.

Peyton answered, "Working. She works Tuesday, Thursday, and Sunday, from seven to seven."

"Damn," Nathan whistled. He only wished he could have those hours.

"Not really. She loves it. They are long hours, but she gets four days off. She will be home later. I think she was stopping by the store after work. You know Brooke, she can't live without Diet Coke, which we ran out of last night."

Lucas nodded, but said no more. Nathan noted his silence, but didn't question him. Instead, he spoke to Peyton, "So, give us the grand tour."

Jake had already had this tour, so he quickly said, "I'm going to run to the bait shop I saw up the street. Be back soon." He gave Peyton a kiss before heading out the door.

Peyton led the two guys into the living room. "This is our living room, we spend most of our time in here. As you can see, it holds our computer and television, which Brooke can't live without. She just finished decorating this room, it was her final project." She moved onto the kitchen.

Lucas stayed behind, looking at the pictures on the bookshelf. They were of Brooke, Peyton, or Jake, with Nathan thrown in there occasionally. At the very end, in a small frame, was one that held all six of them. It must have been when they were dating, and they were at Dan's beach house. She was in his arms, and smiling up at him. Nathan and Haley were together, as were Jake and Peyton. Lucas smiled at Haley's face. He hadn't heard much from her lately. She had just produced her second album, and was on tour. She was married to some pop singer, and though she called him sometimes, they had pretty much lost touch. This only made him more closer to Nathan, which he didn't mind. Nathan was his best friend now.

Peyton was telling Nathan about the horrible refrigerator experience she had gone through. "Brooke had been at work, and I had just finished teaching a class. The guys, two of them, had come to install the damn thing, but were constantly hitting on me. They were fat and ugly, so I paid no attention to them. Anyways, they unloaded it and I had been in the den, avoiding them. I came back in, just as they were hooking it up, and saw it was completely the wrong color. While this one is silver, they had brought this ugly brown one. I knew Brooke would have a fit if she saw it, so I yelled at them and told them to take it back. They did, and two hours later showed up again. I was grading papers, so I let them do their thing. Of course, they had the wrong one. It was silver, however, it was the wrong brand and style. So, I sent it back. Brooke came home to no refrigerator, and I had already taken stuff to our neighbors that was in our old refrigerator, so it wouldn't rotten. We had sold it, and the new owners came and picked it up. Anyways, she was pissed off, called Sears, let them have it. Let me tell you, at eight o'clock that night, the correct fridge was in our kitchen."

Nathan laughed at the story, because it sounded exactly like something Brooke would do. "She sure does have a backbone."

"Yeah, she does," Peyton agreed. Lucas smiled at the story. He could see in his mind Brooke yelling at the Sears employees. They went on with the tour, and she showed them the bedrooms. She avoided the subject of where they were sleeping, because she wasn't quite sure.

Later that evening, Brooke was driving home from work, stopping at the convenient store on her way. She picked up a twelve-pack of her favorite diet drink, and noticed some of Lucas's favorite power drinks, and grabbed those too. She figured she could at least be nice to the guy. She also grabbed some of Nathan's favorite.

She drove slower than she usually did, due to the fact that she was dreading the reunion she was about to be faced with. She and Lucas had barely spoken since their break up. Even though the break up was almost mutual, it still hurt. They had agreed to remain good friends, but that was the ultimate breakup cliche. No one ever stuck by it. These next few weeks would be the test for that, because now she and Lucas would be forced to be around each other.

Then, there was Nathan to think about. They really were great friends, but a lot of history was in that friendship, history that no one knew about. So far, they had done a decent job of covering up past actions. Brooke just prayed they would be able to keep it up. However, she was so excited to see him. They always had so much fun together. Peyton was always saying that she was the girl version of him, minus the athletic abilities.

She finally pulled into the driveway, and was almost relieved to see Peyton's car gone, and no sign of Lucas or Nathan's in site. They must have gone out to dinner.

She walked inside, and dropped her keys on the counter. She hummed to herself as she filled the fridge with her latest purchases. She was washing her hands and had started to dry them when a voice said, "Boo." She yelped in surprise.

She whipped around, and grinned when she saw Nathan standing a few feet away. "Nate!" She walked towards him, and before she could blink he had picked her up and swung her around. She laughed as he lightly tickled her sides.

"Hey Davis." He set her down, but she continued to keep her arms wrapped around his neck.

"You jackass, you scared the shit out of me."

"You're the deaf one. Didn't you hear the back door?" She let go of his neck, and hopped up on the counter. He stood directly in front of her, one hand on her knee.

"No, I was washing my hands."

"Oh, yeah. You're a nurse now," he teased. "By the way, you look hot in that outfit."

She glanced down at her light blue nursing clothes, and shrugged. "Thanks. I have plenty of outfits like these to go around." One downfall to her job was the wardrobe.

He rolled his eyes at her. "Thanks for being here to welcome us." He was just kidding around with her, but she took it to heart.

She said defensively, "Its called work. Have I mentioned that you are an ass?"

He shook his head, playing along with her game. "Nope, have I mentioned you are a bitch?"

"Nope, I'm sure we will make use of that vocabulary on a regular basis while you're here." While they had been sitting there, she had started eating yogurt. She usually only had fruit for lunch, and it was a long day, so she was hungry when she got home. Nathan dipped his finger in it. "Ew, Nate, that's gross!" She looked at him, disgusted.

"Oh, do you want it back?" He pointed the finger at her, and smudged it on her nose. She fought back, pushing his hand away, but ended up falling over with laughter instead.

Lucas walked up just as Nathan was catching her, and helping her stand. She was smiling up at him, and he had a hand on her back. Lucas cleared his throat, letting them know he was present.

Brooke looked up from her stunt with Nathan, and stopped laughing. "Lucas. Hey," she said slowly. He smiled shyly at her. She gave nathan a dirty look as she wiped the food off her nose, and then handed him the remaining yogurt. She walked up to Lucas, giving him a hug. "Good to see you."

"You, too," he said softly. He didn't mention the "friendliness" he had just witnessed. He did, however, note the extreme awkwardness between them.

Brooke was about to speak when Peyton came bouncing into the room with Jake on her arm. "Brooke, you are _finally_ home. I was just showing them around here, blowing time. We haven't eaten yet, but we are _starved_."

They all laughed at her. Brooke walked back to her position next to Nathan. "You know, P. Sawyer, you are taking over my role of The Mouth."

Peyton scoffed, "Trust me, no one will ever take over that role. So are we going to eat or not?"

"Stop whining, let me change and we can go."

Brooke and Peyton had taken them to an exclusive seafood restaurant half an hour away, and then they had stopped by the boardwalk on the way home. Nathan and Brooke competed in some of the arcade games, and he ended up beating her. His prize was a pink teddy bear, so he gave it to her. What the hell was he going to do with it?

They were leaving, and heading back to the cars. Brooke and Nathan were shying towards the back of the group when Brooke's ice cream cone slipped from her hands, and it got all over her silk shirt. "Dammit," she cursed quietly. She looked around quickly, seeing if anyone could notice.

"Brooke, here," Nathan offered. She looked at him inquisitively. Because it was summer, its not like any of them had jackets. Nathan stood directly in front of her, as to hide the chocolate stain which was quickly spreading. He bent down.

Brooke saw what he was suggesting, and started laughing. "No way, nobody has given me a piggy back ride since high school, if not before."

He shrugged. "Do you want the whole world to see that ugly shirt?"

She gasped, and slapped his arm. "Fine," she said. She hopped onto his back, and giggled on he lifted them both. She hugged his neck. She then whispered, "Thanks."

"No problem." They finally caught up to their friends, who had paused to see what had happened to them. Lucas stared at his brother.

Peyton asked, "Um, why are you on his back?"

Brooke looked down at Nathan, and replied, "I had a, um, slight problem with the ice cream. Don't ask."

Peyton shook her head. Brooke was always getting herself into crazy situations.

Soon after, they arrived at the beach house. It was almost midnight, and they were all tired after the long day. The guys had been traveling, and Brooke had been working.

Brooke yawned, and said, "Okay, I'm going to bed." She had thrown a hoodie over her shirt as soon as she walked through the door.

Lucas looked at her. "Where are we sleeping?"

Brooke had forgotten about that. "Oh, yeah. I guess you do need beds, huh? Well, talk to Peyton."

Peyton shot Brooke a glare. "Jake is staying with me, obviously. Lucas, you get the guest bedroom."

Nathan protested, "No way, why does he get it?"

Lucas answered him, "Because I asked for it a few weeks ago. Peyton told me how many bedrooms there were, and I figured I should jump for a chance at the guest."

It was Nathan's turn to glare. "You are so dumb."

Lucas grinned. "Not really, considering _I_ get a comfy bed."

Nathan turned to Peyton. "Okay, so where am I staying?"

Peyton bit her lip, and nodded towards the couch. "There. You can put your stuff in Lucas's room," she offered.

Nathan sighed. This pissed him off. He was going to spend the next month on a couch? He had plenty of money, he might as well stay in a hotel.

Brooke could practically read his mind, and said quickly, "Nate, stay with me." She noticed the stares she was getting and explained, "I mean, I have a king bed, so its no big deal. The couch sucks."

Nathan cocked his head to the side. "Okay." Staying with Brooke would _definitely_ be better than some damn hotel room.

Lucas looked back and forth between his brother and ex girlfriend. He had never known them to be such great friends, so this was all a little surprising. They both seemed so at ease with the fact that they were about to share a room.

Brooke nodded, and said, "Well, I'm going to bed."

"I'm going with you," Nathan echoed. His face reddened when he realized how that must have sounded to the others. Nonetheless, he followed her up to the bedroom.

He dropped his bags on the floor by the door, and laid on the bed, stretching out. Brooke eyed him as she searched through her drawers for her pajamas. He said, "You sure you are okay with this?"

Brooke looked over at him. "Of course. Its not like we're going to have sex."

He said jokingly, "Never know. We do have a sexual history."

She looked at him sharply. "Nate..." This was a touchy subject with them.

He shrugged. "What? I'm not saying anything else, promise. No one knows. I'm just letting you know, with us sharing a room for four weeks, things could heat up pretty quickly."

Brooke turned back to her closet, smiling to herself. "Whatever," she said aloud, but secretly wondering the same thing he was. They had given into temptation before, she wasn't sure she could say no again.

They changed into their respective clothes, with Nathan in nothing but boxers and athletic shorts, and Brooke in pink pajama pants and a white tank. She crawled in next to him, and he saw she was shivering. He pulled her up close to him, so that they were within inches of each other.

"Night, Nate."

"Night," he murmured, already half asleep.

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_Author's Note: **Thanks to all my reviewers! I was **shocked_ **_to see how many I received! I was not expecting any of that. The majority of you are wanting Brooke/Nathan, but there are a few Brucas-ers out there. I haven't decided, so I am going to leave everyone hanging. In this chapter you find out that Brooke and Nathan have a hidden past together, and that Lucas still wants Brooke. The next chapter, I will try to have more BL scenes!_**

Gerky, _just to clear things up, Lucas did NOT cheat on Brooke. They had broken up over that time. Sorry if I didn't make that clear! _BrookenLucas12_ I am waiting for your new chapter, too! I love your story so much. _Ali213,_ you have no idea how happy I was to see a review from you. I am addicted like no other to your stories, so to see you reading one of mine was awesome._

**_Okay, thanks again to ALL of my reviewers. I love you all so much! Not sure when this next chapter will be out, because school starts Wednesday for me (ugh). I will try to write a new chapter before then, though. In the meantime, please REVIEW!_**

**_-Emilie-_**


	3. Reigniting

**Author's Note: **Okay, please don't hate me. I realize its been forever since I last updated this story, but you would not believe the writer's block I have had. I rewrote this chapter twice, because I wasn't satisfied with the finished product. I'm back, though, and I just wanted to say this: Just because this chapter puts a certain twosome together, this does NOT mean they will be the pair at the end. I do know who I want together, and it will make quite a few of you happy. But, my lips are sealed. Please enjoy this chapter. Oh, yeah, thanks to all my reviewers who wouldn't let up! I love you guys!

_Disclaimer: I do not own One Tree Hill, or the characters._

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Chapter Three

"Reigniting"

The following morning, Brooke awoke to the sun shining through her windows. She looked over at Nathan and couldn't help but grin. His arm was slung around her, as they had slept in close proximity the entire night. He was sound asleep, his breathing labored.

Brooke tried to slip out from under his reach, but in his subconscience state, he tightened his arm. She sighed. She didn't want to wake him up, but she desperately needed to take a shower. She nudged him lightly on his chest. "Nate... Nathan."

He groaned, rolling over, and thus removing his arm. "What..."

She smiled. "Nothing, go back to sleep," she whispered before preceding into her bathroom.

A few hours later, everyone was in the kitchen eating breakfast. Peyton had made a run for donuts, while Brooke was happy with cereal. She was sitting with Nathan and Lucas at the table. Lucas was engrossed in the morning paper, while Nathan and Brooke were having light conversation.

She said jokingly, "Nathan, tonight stay on _your_ side of the bed."

He pretended to be offended. "You should try taking your own advice. Who knew you were such a mobile sleeper. I swear, you never stayed still."

She rolled her eyes at him. "Whatever." She wasn't in the mood to argue. She had enjoyed her sleep last night, and she knew he felt the same.

Lucas had tired of hearing the two of them talk, and had walked outside. Brooke watched him go. "What's with him?"

Nathan had agreed to keep quiet, so he said, "Don't know, he's been weird lately."

Brooke bit her lip. She had barely spoken to Lucas since they arrived yesterday, and it felt horrible to _not_ talk to him. She stood up, and followed him outside. He was sitting on one of the deck chairs, and Brooke pulled one up next to him.

He glanced at her as she sat down. She smiled shyly. "Hey."

"Hey," he said shortly, refusing to meet her eyes.

She sighed. No one said this was going to be easy. "So, um, I know we haven't really had the chance to sit down and talk yet..."

"No, we haven't. Maybe if you stopped ignoring me, it wouldn't be like that." She winced at the tone of his voice.

"Lucas, I haven't been ignoring you." This was the truth. She had simply been hanging out with Nathan more. "Its just that things are strange between us now."

"They don't have to be."

"Yes, they do. We're not together anymore, and we ended things on uncomfortable terms."

"Brooke..." It pained him to discuss the past. The only person that knew exactly what had happened was Nathan.

He looked at her in surprise as she grabbed hold of his hand. "Luke, I don't want things to be like this either. I miss talking to you. You were my best friend, even though at the same time my boyfriend. It saddened me when I moved that I couldn't talk to you about stupid stuff anymore. Sure, I had Peyton, but it wasn't the same. Lucas, I want us to be friends. I do. I don't care about Carly or anything like that. We can just sort of... I don't know, start over."

He stared at her. "Start over?" He repeated.

"Yeah," she nodded. "I won't lie to you, six months ago my heart was hurting like hell. But now? I'm fine. We both moved on, and I want to be your friend. Luke, I couldn't stand the thought of losing you completely." She spoke from her heart. He meant so much to her; he was a huge part of her history.

He nodded. "Okay."

She grinned. "Great. Okay, as a first sign of friendship, what do you say we go swimming?"

He looked around. "You don't have a pool."

She rolled her eyes. "In the ocean, dumbass."

He laughed. "I was kidding, calm down." He stood up, and went inside to change. Brooke had also stood, but stayed where she was. She was leaning over the railing when Nathan came out to join her.

"Did I just see you two actually smiling together?"

"Yeah, weird huh?" She turned and smiled at him. "Jealous?" She teased.

"No!" He defended himself, but not very well. "Why would I be jealous of him? He's my brother, and you are Brooke."

"Exactly," she winked at him before walking back into the house. She ran right into Peyton. "P Sawyer! How are you today?"

Peyton was looking at her warily. "Fine, why are you acting weird?"

"How am I acting weird? I'm just in a good mood."

"Yeah, why? And why are you and Nathan talking in low whispers every time I turn around? And _what_ was up with last night? And why is he sleeping in your bedroom?"

Brooke took a step back. "Woah, chill. Okay, I would totally love to answer every last one of those questions, however, its my day off and I intend to spend it on the beach."

Peyton watched as her friend disappeared upstairs. She was shaking her head as Nathan walked back inside. "What's the matter with you?"

Peyton shrugged. "Nothing, Brooke is just confusing me."

He sighed. "Yeah, me too."

--

"Lucas! Come on," Brooke yelled up towards the house. Lucas, who had emerged only moments before, rolled his eyes. He had thrown on his swimsuit and an old Ravens basketball tshirt.

"Patience, Brooke." When he got close enough to the shore, and teased, "You're a nurse, you should use it more often."

She narrowed her eyes as she stood ankle deep in the cool water. "Yeah?" He smirked at her, and she leaned down, and splashed him.

He jumped at the coldness. "Brooke!" He glared at her, taking off his damp shirt. She stared at his chest. When she realized what she was doing, she snapped out of her mesmerized state.

"Sorry," she said sheepishly.

"Sure you are," he smiled, wading into the water with her. Soon, the two of them were both waist deep.

They were talking about random things, mainly their friends. Each were equally happy for Jake and Peyton, and worried about Nathan. Brooke didn't have much to say on that subject, though.

"I like this," Brooke commented, a few feet from him, jumping the waves.

He looked at her questioningly. "Like what?"

"Us, being friends. It feels nice. I've missed talking to you."

He chuckled. "I've missed talking to you, too, Brooke." If only she knew how much. He knew he should tell her, but it wasn't the right time. He forced himself to stop thinking about all that had been going on, and focus on having fun during his vacation.

--

Later that day, Lucas and Jake had gone into town for lunch. Peyton had a class, which left Nathan and Brooke. They were laying on the beach, both lost in their own little world.

Brooke looked over and squinted at Nathan. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah, why?"

She shrugged. "No reason, you have just been acting strange."

He paused. He seemed to be hesitating with what he wanted to say, as though he couldn't find the words. "Why did we keep our relationship a secret?"

The question caught Brooke off guard, and she sat up. "Nate, what's going on?"

He shook his head, as though shaking off the recent conversation. "Nothing, nevermind. I think I'm going to go back up to the house." He cursed himself for bringing their past up.

Brooke opened her mouth but snapped it shut as he picked his stuff up and went towards the beach house. She regretted the way she handled the question. She could have easily answered it, but she held back. She didn't want to admit she had been thinking about their tryst a lot lately, even though it had happened so long ago. Each time she saw Nathan she remembered the summer they had shared. It was so tender, and full of love. It was also secret. Peyton didn't even knew. Brooke had wanted so many times to tell her, but she never did. Lucas didn't know either, and that was even harder on both Nathan and Brooke.

Lucas. Brooke knew if Lucas found out, he would hate her. They had not been a couple during that summer, but Brooke knew Lucas so well. He would be hurt, and wouldn't believe Brooke when she told him how much he meant to her. Means. He still means so much. What they had once was special to her, and they were just becoming friends again. He was her first love, but he wouldn't see it that way. Which is why it would kill him if he knew. Then again, Brooke was so tired of keeping it a secret. She was sick of lying to Peyton. And Lucas deserved to know the truth.

Ten minutes later, Brooke quietly opened her bedroom door. Nathan was lying on the bed, looking up at the ceiling. He glanced over at Brooke as she crawled up on the bed next to him.

She laid next to him, only inches away. She touched his hand, and slowly intertwined her fingers with his. "Nate, I still think about that summer. We kept the whole thing a secret because neither of us were ready to hurt those who had hurt us. If we went public, we would hurt not only Lucas, but Haley as well. Both relationships were only recently ended."

"Do you think things would be different?"

She thought for a moment about his question. "Different between us? I'm not sure. Maybe. The thing is, it only brought us closer. And I would never change that. If we had told people, Lucas and I never would have gotten back together, I don't think."

Nathan laid there quietly, taking it all in. "It was such a long time ago."

"Not really," Brooke said softly. "Sometimes it feels like just yesterday that we were sneaking off to the river court after dark."

He grinned. "We did some crazy things."

"You wanted me so bad," she joked. Growing serious, she gave his hand a squeeze. "That was one of the best summers I ever had."

"Me too." He looked off to the side. "I miss you, Davis."

"I miss you too. We still see each other a few times a year."

"No," he said, shaking his head. "I mean I miss us. A few times a year isn't enough for me, Brooke."

Her throat caught in her voice as she turned her body towards him, rubbing her thumb on his hand. "Nathan..." She was caught off by his lips crashing into hers. She kissed him back passionately, and he wrapped his arms around her. She was disappointed when he pulled away.

"Was that the wrong thing to do?"

She shook her head, smiling up at him. "No," she whispered, pulling him towards her once again.

Later that afternoon, the two heard the door downstairs open. They had spent the last two hours just talking, with an occasional kiss slipping into their conversation. Brooke had forgotten how good it felt to kiss Nathan. He really lived up to every expectation.

She almost groaned as she heard her friends enter the house. "Dammit..."

He smiled sadly at her. "Back to reality, huh?"

She sighed, frustrated. She hated hiding things. "I guess so. Its just..." She trailed off, not sure if she wanted to say what was on her mind.

"Its just what?" He trailed his finger lightly along her arm, making her smile slightly.

"Is it going to be just like that summer? We have tons of fun, and then its over? And no one ever finds out?"

He sighed. "I don't know. It would hurt Luke if we told him."

"It would hurt him even worse if we didn't tell him, and he somehow found out."

Nathan thought about what she was saying. "I don't want this to be a fling. I want to _be_ with you. Even if that means hurting some people along the way. So, yes, we can tell them. But not tonight."

Her eyes lit up at the thought of going 'public'. "Really?" She leaned over and gave him an appreciative kiss. "Why not tonight?"

"Tonight you're mine," he whispered in her ear as he started kissing her again.

She giggled at the touch of his lips on her soft skin. "Okay, then when will we tell him?"

"A few days, maybe a week. When do you want to tell him?"

She shrugged. "A week sounds good to me. I just want to be with you right now."

"BROOKE!" Peyton screamed up the stairs. Again, Brooke rolled her eyes, and started to move away from him. He held onto her, kissing her quickly.

Brooke groaned. "Can I tell P. Sawyer? Please? She will be so pissed if I keep this from her, and she won't tell Luke."

Nathan couldn't say no to her, so he complied, "Yeah, but she has to swear not to tell Jake. Because Jake and Luke are best friends." Brooke nodded, and kissed him on the cheek, mouthing a thank you.

The two made their way downstairs, where Lucas and Peyton were in the kitchen. Peyton eyed her friend. "What took you so long?"

"Sorry, we were napping," Brooke lied.

"Together?" Lucas spoke up from the back of the kitchen. This time it was Nathan's turn to give his brother a _look_.

Brooke grabbed Peyton by the hand, and dragged her outside. Nathan kept staring at Lucas, who in turn was staring at him.

"What?" Nathan snapped.

"What's going on with you and Brooke?" Lucas wasn't an idiot, anyone could see the two were acting strange.

"Nothing." Nathan, as Brooke had done moments before, lied. They had agreed not to tell anyone right away, and both would stick to their word. Nathan hated lying to Lucas, though.

The two had always been so close, and Nathan had been there when Lucas was going through hell last Christmas.

--

Outside, Peyton was giving Brooke a wary look. Brooke doesn't randomly "nap" with a guy in the middle of the day. This was Brooke Davis, Peyton wasn't about to be fooled.

Brooke knew exactly what Peyton was thinking, so she suggested, "Want to take a walk? Or go to the mall or something? Because what I'm about to tell you can't leave this conversation."

Peyton's face changed, and she said, "Are you okay? Are you sick?"

Brooke laughed. "No, nothing like that. Come on, I'm in the mood for Starbucks, and maybe some shopping."

The two girls soon found themselves seated in the famous coffee shop, and Peyton looked at Brooke expectantly. Brooke had refused to utter a word in the car, which of course drove her friend crazy.

"Before we start, you have to promise not to tell your boy toy, okay? No one can know right now."

"Fine. Now tell me!" Peyton was not known to be very impatient, but Brooke had begun rubbing off on her.

"Remember a few summers ago, when I was in Tree Hill for a while? It was between the time Lucas and I weren't together. We hadn't been together since high school, and I didn't start dating him again until later that year."

Peyton had a feeling of where this was going, but she kept quiet.

"Anyways, Nathan was here, I was here, and one thing led to another... Nathan and I were an item that summer, I guess you could say. We were together, and we really fell for each other. We never told anybody because we didn't want to hurt Lucas or Haley. We broke things off when I went back to New York, but of course remained friends. The point is, we are back together. We talked about it all day, and I've really missed him. He's not the same as Lucas, thank God. Don't get me wrong, I love Lucas like there was no tomorrow. But he broke my heart, and I don't need him or anyone like him. Besides, he has Carly and their kid. Nathan is a really good match for me, and I am falling for him again. Which is hard, considering his brother is living with us. Are you going to say anything?"

Peyton had been sitting there quietly, taking it all in. When she finally spoke, all she could say was, "Okay."

Brooke's mouth parted slightly. "That's it? I just poured my heart out to my best friend, and she simply responds with, 'Okay'?"

Peyton smiled. "Brooke, I'm not mad at you or anything. Sure, I am a little hurt that you didn't tell me about you and Nathan, but I'm not going to get mad over the past. I am, though, going to say something about your relationship with him right now. You can't keep this a secret forever, the longer you do, the more hurt Luke is going to get. But I'm happy for you, and for Nathan. He hasn't had a serious girlfriend since Hales, and lets face it, she isn't coming back. But you should talk to Lucas, soon." She was very persistent about this, and Brooke took notice.

"Peyton, what's going on? What are you not telling me?" Brooke could read Peyton like a book.

"Nothing," Peyton answered firmly. "Look, lets go shopping. I need to relax. Our house is full of drama and its only been twenty four hours."

Brooke giggled, and threw their stuff away. The two friends linked arms and made their way to the car to start one of their countless shopping excursions. The uneasiness didn't lift from Brooke's shoulder that Peyton was keeping something from her, something about Lucas. But she decided she wouldn't let that bother her today.

* * *

_There ya go! Hope you guys like it, please review, it really motivates me! I promise it won't take five months to update again._

_-Emilie_


	4. Realization

**Author's Note:** I know, I know, I know. And I really don't have any excuse except that this story is surprisingly hard to write. I keep writing a little bit each day, then deleting it and re-writing it because it doesn't work well with the storyline. Anyways, I finally finished this chapter, and already have the next one started. Hope you enjoy, there's a lot of drama in it.

Thank you so much to **everyone** for all the sweet and wonderful reviews I have received. All of you are amazing and your words help me and are so very encouraging. Enjoy...

* * *

_**Chapter Four**_

"_**Realization"**_

Soon a week passed, and one Wednesday morning Brooke was awoken by a very loud Jake. She glanced to her side as the pounding on the door grew louder, and saw Nathan wasn't there. She groaned. "Jake, shut up!"

Jake opened the door a crack. "I'm coming in."

"I'm naked!" It wasn't the truth, but she wasn't a very nice morning person sometimes.

"Liar," Jake said smoothly as he walked inside the room. "We're going on the boat today, remember?"

"Yes, I remember. But its like six o'clock in the damn morning. Wake me up in three hours, and then we'll talk." She did not appreciate being summoned on her day off.

He smirked at her. "Its 9:05, so I suppose its good morning to you, Davis."

She pulled the pillow over her head. "Go to hell," she snapped, her voice muffled.

He headed to the door, and had a run in with Nathan. "Hey, man, Peyton wants us to be ready to go by ten. Tell little Miss Pissy that, okay?"

Nathan grinned at the look on her face as he shut the door behind his friend. "How do you two ever get along?" He sat next to her on the bed, placing his hand on her covered leg.

"We don't," she said simply, sitting up. She yawned and stretched as she looked around. "Where did you go this morning?"

"Luke and I went to that little café down the street. We were hungry, and Peyton wasn't around. So we just went by ourselves."

"Was it good?"

"Yeah, actually. So, about today. Who's boat are we taking?"

"My dad's," Brooke explained. "He used to have it in Tree Hill, but when I moved here he moved it as well. Its almost as if he knew he would need an excuse to come see me or something. And we have a jet ski, so it should be fun."

"Are you any good with boats?" He was wary of the talents Brooke had.

She jabbed him lightly in his side. "Shut up, we used to go on boats all the time when we were kids."

"Well, yeah, but our dads did all that. We just... sat around. I played Gameboy, and you tanned."

She sighed contently. "Those were the days."

He smiled at her. "You better get in the shower. Peyton may kill you if you aren't ready to go."

Brooke lazily got out of bed. "You know, its weird. I used to be the neurotic one who made sure everyone was ready to go at the right time. Peyton took over that trait, I suppose."

Nathan chuckled, teasing her, "I'm sure you can still be very bossy." After she disappeared into her bathroom, he made his way back downstairs. Lucas and Jake were watching ESPN Sports Highlights, which Nathan had recording at home.

"Where's Peyton?"

"In the garage," Jake said absentmindedly, not looking up from the television.

* * *

Nathan found her loading the car. He leaned against the wall as she struggled with a cooler. She heard him behind her, and whirled around.

"Nathan!" She set the cooler down, and glared at him. "You ass, you know you could be of a little help here."

He walked over, and started putting the cooler in the SUV. "True. So could your boyfriend."

"I know," she sighed. "It's a lost cause, I gave up."

For the next few minutes, they together loaded up the vehicle. When they were done, Peyton said to Nathan, "Follow me."

He obliged, and soon they were on the beach. They sat down in the sand, and Peyton absentmindedly started making J+P in the sand. "So, about you and Brooke..."

"Jealous?" He smirked at her.

"You wish. No, seriously, what's the deal? I've heard her side, now I want yours."

"I like her Peyton. A lot. She is so much fun to be around. Being here reminds me of a few years ago. That summer was one of the best of my life."

"Okay, but she still loves Lucas."

He nodded slowly. "I realize that, but Lucas hurt her really bad. She is slowly moving on from him, and if I can be that guy to help her, then I will be."

"What if she finds out about Lucas? She might go back to him."

Nathan looked down. "I know," he said softly. "Trust me, I have thought about this. Lucas and Brooke have a huge history together, which sucks for me. But Lucas won't tell her. He is afraid he will lose her altogether if he does."

"How does he figure that?"

Nathan took a deep breath. He wasn't used to talking about this to anyone but his brother. "If Brooke finds out, she will be hurt. Maybe even pissed, but mostly hurt he didn't tell her sooner. He has been leading her on to believe something that is not true. She will do one of two things. Tell him to go to hell and never speak to her again, or go back to him for good."

Peyton said, "I could see that. I just want to tell you one thing. Don't hurt her. Lord knows how many times Lucas broke her heart. She can't take anything else, I know she can't. A person can only take so much pain and heartache, and Brooke has had more than her fair share."

"Pey, I won't hurt her. That is the last thing I want to do. Right now, she and I are just... I don't know. I mean, we've kissed a few times, made out every now and then, but nothing serious. We aren't talking about the future. We are just having fun. So when something else happens, we will see where we go from there."

"Last question. Are you ever going to tell Lucas?"

"Tell Lucas what?" Jake asked, sitting behind Peyton.

She smiled at him. "Tell him what an amazing boyfriend I have."

He looked at her. He knew that was not what they were talking about because he had just been watching television while Peyton loaded the car, which was not "amazing boyfriend" actions. He let the issue go, and wrapped his arms around her, and she nestled into his chest.

* * *

Lucas had shut the television off and was making a midmorning sandwich when Brooke came downstairs. Her hair was wet, and she was wearing a brown bikini with her trademark short denim mini skirt. She smiled at him, telling him, "Morning."

"Hey. You're up late."

She rolled her eyes, grabbing a Diet Coke out of the fridge. "Not really. Its like nine thirty. Not late."

"Whatever, late for me." His words were mumbled as he quickly ate his sandwich.

She joked, "Well, maybe that's because you get up at the crack of dawn on a regular basis."

"I don't like to waste the day away by sleeping," he defended himself.

She laughed. "Sure. So, Broody, excited about our boating excursion?"

He flinched slightly at the use of an old nickname, but said, "Of course. I haven't been on a boat since... Well, since back when you and I were dating."

She grinned. "Awesome, today is gonna be so much fun. Right Nate?"

Lucas turned and saw his brother coming in the back door. Nathan looked confused. "What?"

Brooke breezed past him on the way back upstairs. "Just say right."

"Right," he shrugged. He walked into the kitchen. "What was she talking about?"

Lucas answered, "Its Brooke. Who knows. Hey, did Peyton need help out there?"

Nathan chuckled to himself. "Yeah, but I helped while you and Jake just sat there."

Lucas tried to defend himself, "You know, if she needed help she should have asked."

"Sorry, I'll remember that next time," Peyton said sarcastically as she entered the home. "Okay, I sent Jake to buy last minute things. We will leave when he gets back." She looked around. "Where's Brooke?"

Nathan nodded towards the stairs. "She just came down, but went back up."

* * *

Brooke was throwing random items into her beach bag. She was on the hunt for her Aveeno sun lotion as Peyton entered the room. Glancing up, she smiled. "Hey best friend, what's up?"

"Not much. Just thought this would be a good time to talk."

Brooke raised an eyebrow. "Because we won't be together on a boat all day?"

"Well, yeah. But the guys will be there. We can't _talk_ talk in front of them." She sighed, exasperated. Brooke grinned at her. "Anyways, how's the whole you and Nathan thing going?"

Brooke examined her new pedicure before answering. "Its... going, I suppose."

Peyton inched forward. "Do I detect hesitation?"

Rolling her eyes, Brooke flopped onto the bed, laying on her stomach. "I don't know. I mean, Nathan is great. He has a great personality, he has a great job, a great life, and let's face it his body is great. But this thing between me and him? Seems forced almost. I mean, I _want_ it to be great. Really, I do. Its just not yet. But its only been like a week, so maybe the greatness will come."

Peyton said gently, "Brooke, are you wanting what you had a few summers ago?"

Brooke's head turned sharply towards the window, evading her friend's eyes. "No. Yes. Maybe. Dammit, I don't know. Nathan and I worked well together last time, we did."

Peyton kept quiet this time. She knew what Brooke's problem was. Like it had been since she was sixteen, her problem was Lucas. She wanted so badly for Nathan to be the one she could move on with, move on from Lucas. But she and Lucas had meant so much to each other. She still loved him, and Peyton knew she couldn't move on until she stopped. Somewhere, deep in her heart, Brooke knew that too. She would never admit it, though, and Peyton would give her time.

"Well, like you said, its only been a week. Give it some time."

Brooke looked at Peyton and said, "The more time I give it, the more Lucas will be hurt if or when he finds out."

* * *

The group soon found themselves on Brooke's boat, and it wasn't long before they were on the water. Brooke and Peyton had already smeared tanning lotion on themselves, and were settling back on the deck to bask in the sun.

Jake had taken over as 'Captain', and was sitting at the wheel. Nathan was next to him, and the pair was staring at their ladies in front of them.

"Nate, what are you looking at?" Lucas asked from behind.

Nathan jumped. He had completely forgotten his brother was onboard. "Nothing. Brooke drives me crazy, she has to be perfect and make sure her lotion is evenly spread out over her body."

Chuckling, Lucas stole a glance at his ex girlfriend. She was adjusting her bikini straps. "That's Brooke for you." Nathan turned away, and Lucas looked at her again, and his stare lingered longer than a 'friend' should be looking at a 'friend'.

Only a few feet away, Brooke said softly, "Is it crazy that I keep thinking about Luke when I'm with his brother?"

"Crazy, no. Disturbing, yes," Peyton joked. Brooke hit her with her towel, causing both girls to giggle.

"Seriously, though, I think there is something wrong with me. Remember when Haley first got involved with them, and I remember thinking 'That's crazy, to get stuck between two boys'. I thought it was such a silly waste of time. Sure, she was only friends with one of them, but still. And here I am, in the middle and one of them doesn't even know it. Actually, neither of them know. I am such a horrible person." She realized she was practically whining, but decided she didn't care at that point.

Peyton propped herself up on one arm. "No you are _not_. You have something that most people don't. You know who you are. You know your strengths and your weaknesses, and right now you are just trying to figure out who this person you are should be with. That's not horrible, that's life."

As she thought this over, Brooke paused before whispering, "I think I'm going to end things. Not today, because we are all having so much fun. But I don't want to do this anymore, I care too much about Lucas. And I'm not being fair to Nathan at all by leading him on like this." As much as she thought she was over Lucas, she realized she wasn't ready to move on quite yet. And when she did, it shouldn't be with his brother. It wasn't right, and felt awful every time Nathan kissed her or smiled in her direction. She also felt awful every time Lucas laughed at Nathan and Brooke's arguing antics, because it was as though he suspected nothing.

Peyton peered at her friend, and saw that she truly was struggling with this. She didn't want to hurt either of them. "What about Luke?"

"I'm going to tell him. Maybe not tomorrow or two days from now, but before he goes home I will tell him," she said firmly. "I've never kept something like this from him, and since we are friends now I don't want to start."

"Just do what's right for _you_. You never think of yourself."

Even though she knew Peyton was right, Brooke said brightly, "Okay, new subject." She turned around, and waved at the boys. "Guys, we don't bite."

Jake let the anchor down so that he wouldn't have to stay in one place, and made his way to the girls. He sat next to Peyton, wrapping his arms around her. She leaned into him, and whispered in his ear sweet nothings.

Brooke took this as her time to leave, and walked up to the Scott brothers. They were trying to figure out how to work the jet ski.

She cocked her head to the side. "Problems?" She wouldn't want to hurt their pride...

They glared at her, and Nathan said, "No. Its just not working."

"Move," she commanded. Not in the mood to argue, they did as she said. She fidgeted with the vehicle for a moment and then it reared to life. Turning back at them, she smirked. "You're welcome."

Nathan rolled his eyes and moved so that he could get on. Brooke walked back past Lucas, and had to squeeze to get by him. He gently placed a hand on her bare hips as he maneuvered himself around her, and whispered, "Thanks," before going to untie the jet ski from the boat.

Brooke's breath caught at his touch, but she sternly told herself to stop. She was with Nathan... kind of. But whatever they _were_, she could not be enjoying touches from Lucas. He had his chance.

Though, if that was the case, then why was she suddenly looking forward to spending time with Lucas while Nathan rode the ski?

"Davis!" A shout jolted her from dreamland.

Looking around, she saw the voice belonged to Nathan, who was perched on the ski. "Yeah?"

"Ride with me. You work these things better than I do, anyways."

Hesitantly, she glanced at Lucas, who was talking to Jake. He looked up and smiled at her before continuing his conversation. She looked back at Nathan, who was patiently waiting for her to join him.

"Coming." She climbed on in front of him, and felt his body wrap around hers, and his fingers tickled her stomach as he rested his arm around her abdomen.

"Ready for the ride of your life?" She asked, and started to drive.

After a half hour of doing tricks and having fun, Brooke pulled the ski to a stop, far away from the boat. They couldn't even see their friends from where they were.

"Not bad, Davis. But I get to drive back."

"Oh joy, I get to meet my death," she teased.

Nathan pretended to be offended. "Excuse me, but I am a good driver. I went on these when I was younger."

"Sure, like twelve years ago so it hardly counts."

Nathan silenced her by placing a hand on her face. She swiveled around so that she was facing him. He leaned in and gave her a light kiss.

Flustered, she said, "Nathan, not here. Lucas is around."

He brushed the comment off, "No, he's not. He's on the boat."

She sighed, wringing her fingers together. She already knew she was going to break things off, and kissing him and pretending everything was okay was making her heart break. "Nate..."

Again, he kissed her, putting more passion into this one, and pulled her close.

There were many boats in the ocean this day, and so when one came up behind them neither of them thought twice. Until they heard Peyton's voice. "Brooke..."

Brooke froze, and she knew at that moment Lucas was watching. He was watching his brother kiss her. He was watching _them_.

Nathan looked up, and tightened his hold on Brooke. Ashamed, she looked at Lucas and all it took was half of a second to see the hurt and anguish in his face. Quickly, she turned away and shrugged Nathan's arms off of her. Nathan steered the jet ski up to the boat, and hopped off. Lucas was still standing on the edge, and didn't speak a word.

Brooke stayed where she was, and stared at Lucas. He met her eyes once, and then wouldn't look at her again.

Brooke wasn't making any notion of getting off, and Peyton said softly, "Come on, Brooke." She knew Brooke's heart was shattering into a thousand pieces right now. This is exactly what Brooke feared. She had wanted to tell Lucas herself, and yet somehow plans change.

Brooke swallowed, and slowly got off. Jake helped her up, grabbing her hand. She stood in the middle of the boat, and looked at her surroundings. It was so quiet you could hear a pin drop. Nathan was on the open deck, and Lucas had not moved. He looked so hurt, it was killing her. She took a step towards Lucas, who in turn jumped on the jet ski.

Without a word, he was gone. "LUCAS!" Brooke screamed, with tears in her eyes. Soon, though, he disappeared into the distant ocean.

* * *

Please review, because honestly your reviews mean the world to me! 


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